Chains Lifted: Her Second Act

The days passed by in a blur as the class continued to prepare for their big play.

They were thrilled when their plan was approved, but their teacher reminded them of one key responsibility: if their performance was scheduled before another class, they had to clean up immediately afterward. There would be no special treatment or extra time, and they couldn't count on performing last just to make things easier.

Despite this, the class cheered when they heard the news. They believed their play's dramatic scene would have the biggest impact, no matter when they performed. Not all high school plays had such an intense storyline, but they were proud of how unique theirs was shaping up to be.

Determined to make everything perfect, they threw themselves into rehearsals with full energy.

"Geez, you guys are amazing," one of their classmates said after the final rehearsal, patting Beatrice and Luca on the back.

"Tomorrow's going to be a blast!"

"We're definitely going to win!" another classmate cheered, full of confidence.

"Okay, since tomorrow is the big day, let's go home early today," Patricia suggested.

"Yeah, we need to rest up and be at our best tomorrow," someone else chimed in.

"Remember the time. Be sure to be here on time and in top condition," Patricia reminded everyone.

…

The next morning, however, their high spirits took a hit. Instead of the usual excitement, the atmosphere was gloomy as the class gathered. Before they could even begin preparations, they were met with bad news.

"This is not a top condition, is it?" Kenneth commented.

Justin couldn't help but grimace as if he was the one in pain.

"What happened?" Patricia asked, worry etched on her face as she saw Beatrice hobbling into the room with a cast on her leg.

"I bumped into someone on the stairs yesterday, lost my balance, and fell," Beatrice explained, her voice filled with disappointment.

"We have no idea who it was—they didn't even look back," Kathrine Oscar, Beatrice's best friend, scoffed.

"Though, her attire…" Kathrine trailed off, suddenly frowning.

Like she was close to remembering what she had missed during the events of yesterday.

The entire class fell silent, devastated. Everything they had worked so hard for now seemed to be in jeopardy.

"What are we supposed to do now?" one of the classmates muttered, voicing the concern they all felt.

Just as everyone was starting to lose hope, Patricia spoke up, "How about…"

Before she could finish her sentence, Luca stepped in, "Let's have Miss Thomas take Beatrice's part."

Harmony, who had been quietly standing off to the side, blinked in surprise. She looked at Luca, shocked by his sudden suggestion.

Luca turned to her, speaking seriously, "I know you've been watching every rehearsal closely. You've memorized all the lines, even though you weren't holding a script. You noticed every mistake we made. I'm sure you can do this."

Harmony stared at him, unsure of what to say. She had been content to stay in the background, quietly helping with the play as the writer, but now everyone was looking at her, waiting for her response.

Beatrice, despite her disappointment, nodded in agreement, "I think it's our best option too. I've seen how closely you've been following the rehearsals, Harmony. You know this play as well as I do."

All eyes turned to Harmony as the pressure mounted. Patricia, sensing her hesitation, spoke gently.

"It's entirely up to you, Miss Thomas. If you think it's too much, we can figure something else out."

Harmony clenched her fists as she weighed her options.

She knew that if she stepped into the spotlight, it would go against everything she usually preferred—staying in the shadows, unnoticed. But the thought of the play failing after all the work they had put into it filled her with determination.

"I…" she began, her voice uncertain.

But then she straightened her back, her resolve hardening.

"I'll do it."

She clenched her hands into fists, 'Whatever. I can just face the consequence of the outcome of this.'

Her classmates let out a collective sigh of relief, while Patricia looked at her with concern, "Are you sure? You don't have to if it's too much."

"I'm sure," Harmony replied, her voice more confident now.

"I may not be as good as Beatrice, but I know the story inside and out."

A small, knowing smile crept onto Beatrice's face. She had no doubt that Harmony would be able to pull it off. The rest of the class, encouraged by Harmony's confidence, began to believe in her too.

"Alright then, it's decided," Luca said, clapping his hands together.

"Let's do a quick run-through. We've got two hours before we have to be in the gymnasium."

Patricia quickly took charge again, "Everyone, get ready while they rehearse. We'll cover anything that might be lacking. Let's give it our all!"

Luca, Beatrice, and Harmony left the room to find an empty classroom for practice. Meanwhile, the rest of the class double-checked props and costumes, going over their own lines and tasks to make sure everything was in place.

"We've practiced for this day," Patricia reminded everyone.

"Because of the incident, we'll need to work even harder to cover anything missing. Just keep calm and do your best."

Gabriel, who had been quietly rechecking the props, raised an eyebrow as he listened to Patricia's motivational speech.

Justin noticed the change in his expression.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Gabriel shook his head.

"Nothing," he replied, turning back to his work.

…

After two nerve-wracking hours of final preparations, the class made their way to the gymnasium for the competition.

The first order of business was a raffle to determine the order of performances. While the class had previously been indifferent about when they would perform, now they all secretly hoped they'd be last. They needed as much time as possible for Harmony to fully step into the role.

When Luca, Beatrice, and Harmony rejoined the group, Patricia immediately sensed something was off.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Luca exchanged a glance with Beatrice before hesitating, "Well…"

"Is there a problem?" Patricia pressed, her worry growing.

Luca opened his mouth to speak, but Beatrice beat him to it.

"More than a problem," she said, her tone serious.

Before they could explain further, the teachers began calling for representatives from each class to begin the raffle, marking the start of the competition.